Caledonia Argus

Hokah businesses feel effects of detour

Posted: 6/24/03

by Andrew Miller
Argus News Reporter

Saturdays are usually the busiest day of the week at Katmandu Trading Company in Hokah. But with a detour in place thatís reduced traffic through Hokah to a trickle, not one customer came into the store on Saturday, June 14.

ìI got blanked on Saturday,î said Katmandu owner Jesse Schultz. ìA major part of my draw is from La Crescent, La Crosse, and Winona. With the detour, all these are just gone.î

Virtually all Hokah businesses have been affected by the detour. Highway 16 between Highway 44 and Highway 26 was closed for construction in early June. Someone taking the detour from La Crosse to Hokah will now have to drive an additional 15-25 minutes.

All stores have remained open, but with fewer shoppers willing to make the trek, and less public exposureñ prior to construction, 7000 people would drive by every day, but now, itís down to roughly 100 closest to the constructionñ thereís no doubt that business throughout the city has dwindled.

Schultz estimates that Katmanduís sales are down by more than 50%. The Horseshoe Bar and Grill reported a similiar drop, and Jakeís Main Street Saloon is down about 20%. Tri-State Auto, which averages 40-45 car sales per month, is on pace to average just 20 sales per month until Highway 16 reopens in August.

ìSales have definitely slowed down, and itís not near where it used to be,î said Dean Plantz, co-owner of Tri-State Auto. ìWe knew this was coming, and weíll survive. We kind of anticipated it would be a little more open to traffic, but you find ways to make it work.î

ëMaking it workí has been the goal of many business owners since the detour was put in place. The strategy of many stores has been to offer discounts on merchandise or to offer additional services pro bono.

Tri-State Auto is offering 0% financing on all used vehicles, in hopes of sparking some sales, and has agreed to pick up any vehicles in Brownsville, La Crescent, Houston, or Hokah that need to be serviced. Kwik Trip has been handing out coupons redeemable for four cents off every gallon of gas, and Main Street Designs hair salon has been passing out gift bags to all clients who drive the detour.

Main Street Designs has been one of the few businesses that has experienced almost no drop in business. Owner Kathy Rogich said the salon has lost only a handful of its customers, despite relying on La Crescent, Houston, and La Crosse for about 20% of its business.

To accommodate those taking the detour, the salon stays open an hour later three days a week. In addition to passing out gift bags, the salon has handed out coupons to new customers, and has let customers know it appreciates their business by hanging two enormous ìthank youî banners.

ìWe planned for this,î Rogich said, ìand we just accommodate our customers the best we can. Itís an inconvenience for everybody, and we definitely appreciate the customers who drive the detour route.î

Businesses that rely on drive-by traffic, rather than appointments, have not been as fortunate as Main Street Designs. Schultz at Katmandu Trading Company has decided to close shop July 1-13 and sell his merchandise at road shows and music festivals.

ìIíd like to keep the store open when Iím gone,î Schultz said, ìbut I canít justify paying someone to watch it when itís this slow.î

Some business owners considered holding sidewalk sales, but as Schultz pointed out, it makes no sense to hold these when traffic is minimal. Hokah Fun Daze, held annually each summer, has been a windfall for Hokah businesses over the years, drawing people from around the region to the city. But with turnout expected to be well below average and construction precluding the possibility of a parade, the celebration holds little hope of boosting business.

The Houston County Extension Service has scheduled a meeting for all Hokah business owners June 30. The presentation is entitled, ìMarketing Your Business During Road Construction,î and the aim is to get business owners together to brainstorm ideas for drawing customers during the detour.

For now, though, business owners are left in a gray zone of sorts, waiting to see if sales will pick up before construction is completed in August. Carol Moore, who owns the Sidewalk Cafe and Hokah Country Market, perhaps summed up the attitude many business owners have had to take while waiting for construction to finish. ìItís not suicidally depressing... yet,î she japed. ìBut weíll see whoís still here in August.î

ìOrdinarily around 4:30 p.m., you cross the street to the post office and you nearly get run over,î she added. ìNow, you can dawdle.î

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